Noske Billard

[Schacht]

Dear brothers of briar,

I got this one for about eight months now, and wasn´t smoking it for nearly two months until it fell into my hand again last week. Why am I telling you this? Well, This pipe has gotten observably brighter during these two months. This has been a pleasant surprise, cause I like its color more than ever, but I still haven´t any reasonable explanation for this behaviour.
I could presume that somehow the mordant bleached out a little bit, but why didn´t it brighten before? As you see, it´s just a wild hypothesis. Is there maybe someone who can provide an explanation?

Noske Billard; 6" long; 2" high; 0,8" Ø (drilling); 2 ounces​

A beautiful thursday everybody and
kind regards
Thilo

 

[Harlock999]

Beautiful grain on this one. I think cross grain is really the nicest, especially when it covers the entire pipe like it does here. It also looks like a matte finish, which looks great with this lighting. In fact, the pictures look so clear that it looks like I could reach through the monitor and pick this pipe up. Very nice work!

 

[Schacht]

Thank you very much for that (very!) kind comment on pipe and photography. I´m (very!) delighted about that…

 

[sstodvictory]

I just visited this pipe maker's web site and I really like everything that is on display. By any chance do you do the pipe photography for the Noske web site? They are exceptional photos.

Steve

 

[Schacht]

I just visited this pipe maker's web site and I really like everything that is on display. By any chance do you do the pipe photography for the Noske web site? [...]

Thats very much alike my first impression of Noskes website has been - I hardly couldn´t decide which one I´d like to be my first one.

Concerning the photography: unfortunately the guy who is doing all those beautiful pictures is Willi Albrecht. Mr. Albrecht (I really like his photography), as far as I know, is payed by getting one of Noskes pipes sometimes, while I´m paying good money for them.

I promise to tell specifically if I should ever be involved somehow in a carvers business, when I´m showing someones pipes in here. Until now, I´m simply smoking the pipes, not selling them and photography is just a hobby for me, even if I´m selling some pictures now and then.

 

[i.keenum]

What kind of camera do use . Digital SLR with macro lens ? What are using you as a back drop ?

 

[Schacht]

Nothing too fancy: I got a Nikon D300, plus a D200 camera body and mostly fixed focal length lenses, the only exeption is a 14-24 mm 1:2,8 Nikkor. Beside this I use a 20mm Voigtlaender Skopar (wich I love) and some Nikon AF-D lenses: 28mm 1:2.8; 50mm 1:1,4; 85mm 1:1,8. One of my favorite lenses for product photography and also portraits is the 60mm 1:2,8 Micro Nikkor. That lens provides great contrast and incredible sharpness.

I like viewfinder cameras too, a Ricoh GR digital III with a GV-2 viewfinder on it is always in my pocket.

Most of the pipe-picures are made using the 60mm makro lens. The backround is a simple concave fillet made of a photo-cardboard. For the lightning I use mostly one, sometimes two SB-900 (respectively SB-800) flashlights in 40cm softboxes and a reflecor if it´s needed.

 

[i.keenum]

I was thinking it was a NIKON or Canon I really like canon but have yet to try nikon. Can't wait to get a better camera so I could have a chance to do.some beautiful work like yours. :rabbit: thanks again for sharing

 

[Schacht]

It´s technically really not complicated, and the camera is not as important as many people think (although using a good camera isn´t a bad idea). One significant thing is a solid tripod or alternatively a little sack filled with beans to stabilize the camera. Important is good light and an accurate exposure. I would keep the whole setting as simple as possible.

 

[i.keenum]

I have to agree because most pocket cameras now have ten megapixels it comes down to.good light and a steady camera I have a fixed lens DSLR and can get amazing pictures often. So did you set a wide aperture to bend in the pipe cleaner with the back ground ?

 

[Schacht]

[…] did you set a wide aperture to bend in the pipe cleaner with the back ground ?

No, on the contrary is the aperture for these photos and generally in some other product photography settings often rather closed. The idea is to set the depth of field in a way that assures that the whole object is pictured sharply. The first photo is for example taken with f/25 at 1/100 sec.

To remove the white pipe cleaner on that also white backround is a piece of cake using image processing software like Photoshop.

For anyone who likes even more natural light (or hasn´t got artificial light) Harlock999 shows regularly how good a relatively uncomplicated photography can look. Try to find nice diffused daylight (some place under a tree possibly), maybe at best before 11 am and after 3 pm and use a tripod or the bean-sack. Maybe it´s nice to have some highlights, a common makeup mirror will be sufficient.

Beside that, photography is something anyone can learn. I personally like it, when someone can really use his eyes. Exceptionally great pictures have been made with virtually simple equipment.

 

[i.keenum]

ah thanks i was wondering how you did that

 

[tNd]

a nice pipe and nice pictures... have to learn to make pictures that nice ....
beautiful

 

[i.keenum]

just an idea about you the original topic of your post. You said it has been setting up and you haven't smoked till recently. Have you been smoking outside since you started smoking it, maybe the direct sunlight had something to do with brightening the grain.

 

[Schacht]

Thanks for your answers everybody.

@i.keenum:
The pipe has not been exposed to direkt sunlight. I usually don´t smoke outside. But thanks a lot for trying to guess an explanation.

 

[SingleMalt]

I gotta say, these are some amazing looking pics. Better than the product images of most online retailers.

Very nice!